The Coolidge Week

With the Congress tying itself into great gooseknots of partisanship, there was little for the Chief Executive to do last week except consult, wait, worry about his Administration's legislative program, and attend to matters of ceremony. C. The new German Ambassador, Dr. Friedrich Wilhelm von Prittwitz-Gaffron, arrived in Washington. President Coolidge received him, studied him. He was a youngish man, only 44, with the lean cheeks and high temples of an intellectual, the strong wrists of an excellent hockey and tennis player, the sleek garb and easy tongue of a society man. His English was almost entirely free from guttural impediments. His manner was extraordinarily flexible for a German of the old Junker caste. It fitted exactly the known record and professed aims of this envoy whom German Nationalists viewed with alarm for his descent, whom German Conservatives thought too young for so important a post, but whom German Democrats endorsed entirely and whom Foreign Minister Stresemann sent over despite all opposition.

"Mr. Prittwitz-Gaffron" (as he often calls himself) believes diplomacy should be based on economics and publicity. After two years in the U. S. (1908-1910) as an attache, he saw much of the pre-War diplomacy-of-deception at St. Petersburg and in the Berlin Foreign Of- fice. For a time, he was personal secretary to Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg. He fought in the War, being badly wounded. Following Germany's Revolution, he helped found the Democratic Club in Berlin but did not leave diplomacy for politics. The rise of Germany's new democracy sent him to Rome as first councilor of the Embassy, where his firm amiability in-clined many a Fascist to a friendlier view of German republicanism. Leaving Italy for the U. S., he rose at a banquet given him by his Roman friends to talk about the "understanding" he hoped to promote in Washington. "My house there," he said, "shall always be open to everyone. . . ."

C. President William T. Cosgrave of the Irish Free State was another White House visitor-of-the-week (see p. 12). His presence was no less formal in nature than the visit last month of Canada's chief exec- utive, Governor General Willingdon, who was dined at the White House. But some expert on etiquette decided that a White House luncheon for President Cosgrave would do just as well, and luncheon it was. The Cabinet, some outstanding Senators and Representatives, the military chiefs of staff and many a minor official with an

Irish name, attended. Afterwards, President Cosgrave said:

"Your President not only was a charming host, but he displayed a broad knowledge of the progress of the Free State." C. Mrs. John Garibaldi Sargent, wife of the Attorney General, arrived in Washing- ton from Ludlow, Vt., recovered at last from long illness. President and Mrs. Coolidge went to the Sargents' for a dinner which was a friends' reunion as well as the fourth function of a regular series conducted in wintertime by Cabinet members. Secretaries Kellogg, Mellon and Dwight Filley Davis had already performed their duties in this respect. Secretary Work's dinner was scheduled next. C. At the White House, the third state dinner of the season, for the Judiciary, passed off brightly. Chief Justice Taft of the Supreme Court twinkled and chuckled as guest of honor. Three of his Associate Justices were absent--the Hons. Brandeis, Holmes and McReynolds. C. Winding up an agreeable social week, the President addressed the business or- ganization of the government, headed by Gen. Herbert M. Lord, Director of the Budget, hinting sternly that his veto of the proposed tax cut as too large was no impossibility. C. From one Luke W. Duffey, President Coolidge received gratis the deed to a 176-acre onion farm in Pulaski County, Ind. Taxes and mortgage interest were due. Donor Duffey explained that he had found it impossible to farm at a profit under present conditions and advised the new owner to exercise extreme efficiency or he would get deeper into debt.